Mining machine



June 3, 1930. c. R. HUGHES MINING MACHINE Fil'edApril 4, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet l C. R. HUGHES MINING MACHINE June 3, 1930.

Filed April 4, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 awe/whom,

elf/image June 3, 1930. c. R. HUGHESY a 0 MINING MACHINE elf/ 01440430.

Patented June 3, 1930 PATENT? OFFICE I c renLns ROBERT HUGHES,OF-ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA MINING MACHINE Application lfiled April 4,

. This invention relates to mining machines and is more particularly amachine designed for forming headings in mines by cutting straight intoa wall, thereby to produce a heading from which passages cansubsequently extend.

A further object is to provide a simple and very compact machine ofthis-typewhich can be lowered intact within the mine shaftand set up foruse at any desired point, thereby avoiding the necessity. of assemblingthe parts after being lowered. V r

A still further object is to provide amachine which will feed forwardlyautomatically at a desired speed during the mining operation. 7

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescriptionv proceeds, the invention resides in the com-- bination andarrangement of parts andin the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed 'may be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention. 7

In the acompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has beenshown.

In said drawings, V r V Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine, theguards being shown in section and one of the chains and its guide beingbroken away. Figure 2 is a side elevation, one ofv the guide beingbroken away to expose the rounded forward end of the adjoining guide.

Figure 3 is an elevation showing the opposite side of the machine, aportion of the guide being in section. i

Figure 1 is a section on line 4'4, Figure 1. Figure 5 is an enlargedsection through one side portion of the machine taken on line 55,

F igure 2, the shaft being shown in plan.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates theframe of the machine supported by a base 2. Extending laterally fromthis frame at one side and beyond the base 2 are frame extensions 3 towhich is attached a longitudinally channelled guide member or track4'consisting of upper and lower members 5 and 6 which diverge for- 1923.Serial No. 267,327. 1

wardly and merge into a front rounded portion 7 which is reinforced by afilling block 3. This block constitutes one part of a bearmg, the othermember 9 thereof .beingbolted or otherwise attached to the block asshown in Figure 3. Fixed parallel guides 10 and 11 are fixedly connectedto and supported beyond the other side of theframel, each of these guidemembers being formed with a chamiel extending throughout the lengththereof. Each guide member includes an upper portion 12 and a lowerportion 13, these portions diverging forwardlyand being connected attheir forward ends by rounded or arcuate integral portions 14. One ofthese portions has a block 15 similarto the block 8 to which isattacheda bearing member 16 similar to the bearing member 9. A shaft 17'is-journaled between the bearing members 15 and 16 and the bearingmembers 8 and 9 and is preferably provided with anti-friction means suchas roller bearings 18, ballbearings, or the like, of any preferredconstruction'. Secured to the shaft 17 so as to rotate therewith is adrum 19 the ends of which are supported close to the guides 4 and 10respectively. This drum, which constitutes the main mining ele-, ment ofthe machine isprovided with picks 20 arranged in any maner desired onthe periphery thereof and preferably spirally dis posed so that, whenthe drum is rotated, each pick will travel in a path close to the pathsof other picks thereby insuring a rapid breaking down of the wallagainst which the machine is thrust.

lllounted within the channel of the guide member 4 is an endless chain21 having suitably arranged picks 22 extending from certain of the,links thereof. Another similar chain 23 provided with picks 24 ismounted to travel in the channel ofthe guide 10, while a'third chain 25having picks 26 extending therefrom, is mounted to travel within thechannel in the. guide 11. The parts are so proportioned that theadvancing portions of the'chains 21, 23, and 25 travel in arcs whichsubstantially aline with the front portion of the periphery of drum 19.Thus, as the 'machine advancesyall ofthe picks carried by the 169 frontportions of the chains and the drum will operatively engage the wall inthe path thereof and out a recess sufficiently large to permit the entryof the machine thereinto. The picks on the chains 21 and 25 will cutlaterally to or beyond the sides of the machine and all of the pickswill out upwardly and downwardly suflicient distances to allow themachine to enter the recess produced.

The rear portion of the chain 21 is mounted on a sprocket 27 carried bya transverse shaft 28 journalled in the bearings 29 which are connectedto the rear portion of frame 1- The other end of this shaft 28 hasseparate sprockets 30 and 31 on which are mounted the rear'portions ofthe chains 23 and 25 respectively.

An electric motor 32 is mountedadjacent one end and the shaft 33 thereofis provided at one end with a gear 3 1 adapted to transmit motionthrough an intermediate gear 35 to a gear 36 secured to the shaft 28.Another gear 37 is secured to the other end portion of shaft 33 andtransmits mot-ion through an intermediate gear 38 to a gear 39journalled on one side of the frame 1 and having a sprocket 4O rotatabletherewith. A chain 41 is mounted on this sprocket and is used fortransmitting motions to a large sprocket 42 secured to shaft 17.

Certain of the picks on the chains 23 and 25 are preferably inclinedtoward each other so that during the mining operation uncut or unbrokenmaterial will not become wedged between the guides 10 and 11.

Various means can be employed for feeding the machine forwardly duringthe mining operation. For example a worm 43 may be carried by shaft 28,this worm meshing with a gear 44 provided with an angular socket 4L7.This socket receives the angular end 48 of a shaft 45. This shaft may beprovided at 46 with a universal joint connecting it to a feed screw 49mounted for rotation within a post '50. A screw 51 engages the upperportion ofthe post and has a tapered head 52. Projecting spurs 53 or thelike may be extended downwardly from the post. Thus, after the machinehas been set up with its advancing end in close proximity to a wall tobe acted on, the screw 51 is adjusted upwardly so as to force the head52 into the roof. At the same time the spurs or projections 53 will beforced downwardly into the bottom.

After the machine has been placed at the point where the heading is tobe out, the post is secured. in place as already explained and the motor32 is set in operation. This will cause motion to be transmitted throughthe gears 34, 35, and 36 to shaft 28 and the chains 21, 23, and 25 willthus be operated simultaneously.

During the operation described motion will also be transmitted throughthe gears 37, 38,

and 39 to the sprocket 40, chain 41, and sprocket 42. Thus the drum 19will also be operated, this drum being driven by shaft 17 while thechains will slide along the channelled guides. The speed of the drum andof the chains can be the same or can be different. In the structureillustrated the surfacespeed of the drum 19 is somewhat greater thanthat of the chains. As the picks on the chains and drums move forwardlyand downwardly they will break up the surface of the wall in the paththereof and at the same time the revolving shaft 28 and worm 43 willcause the feed screw 49 to rotate within the post 50, thus thrusting themachine forward slowly into the recess produced by the action of thepicks.

It is to be understood of course that suitable guards such as indicatedat 53 can be provided for covering the gears and the rear portions ofthe chains as well as the sprockets on which they are mounted.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine of the class described including a frame, a transverseshaft, bearings for the shaft fixed relative to the frame, a drumrotatable with the shaft between the bearings, cutting elements carriedby the periphery of the drum, fixed arcuate guides adjacent the ends ofthe drum a cutting chain slidably mounted on the guides and extendingbackwardly therefrom a drive shaft means actuated thereby and surroundedby the cutting chain for rotating the drum and means actuated by thedrive shaft and engaging those portions of the chain remote from thedrum for actuating the chains to slide them along the arcuate guides.

2. A mining machine including a frame,

a shaft journaled therein, a drum mounted for rotation with the shaft,cutting elements extending from the periphery of the drum, bearings forthe shaft adjacent the ends of the drum, arcuate guides concentric withthe shaft adjacent the bearings, cutting chains slidably mounted on theguides, and means remote from the drum for actuating the chains to slidealong the guides, said means being located to travel in the path cut bythe drum and chains.

3. A mining machine including a frame mounted for forward movement, ashaft journaled therein, arcuate channeled guides concentric with theshaft at the forward end of the frame and fixed relative to the frame,cutting chains mounted to slide along the guides, and means remote fromthe guides for driving the chains, said means being located for movementwithin the path cut by the chains.

4:. A mining machine including a frame mounted for forward movement, ashaft j ournaled in the front end portion of the frame, arcuate guidesconcentric with the shaft and extending in front thereof, said guidesbeing i arranged to form a pair, a drum rotatable with the shaft andhaving peripheral cutting elements, bearings for the shaft at the endsof the drum and in the spaces back of the guides, cutting chainsslidably mounted on s the guides, means for rotating the drum, and

means remote from the drum for actuating the chains, all of said meansbeing positioned to travel in the path cut by the drum and chains. A V ja 5. A mining machine including a frame mounted for forward movement, atransverse shaft supported by the front portion thereof, arcuate guidesin front of and concentric with the shaft, endless cutting chainsslidably mounted on the guides, said guides and chains beingproportioned to cut a path the height of which is greater than theextreme height of the machine, a drum interposed between the guides,cutting elements thereon, and operating mechanism locatedentirely backof the drum and guides for movement into the out produced by the drumand chains for actuating said drum and chains.

6. A mining machine including a frame mounted for forward movement,channeled guides fixed relative to the frame and disposed in pairs, theguides of each pair being joined by an integral arcuate portionchanneled to constitute a guide,bearings supported by the said arcuateportionsof the guides, a shaft journaled therein, a drum interposedbetween the arcuate portions of the guides,

chains mounted within the channeled guides i and adapted to dragtherea-long, cutting ele-.

ments on the chains and drum, said elements cooperating to cut a cavityin a wall to receive the machine as 1t advances, and means for actuatingthe drum and chains simulta' neously.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as v my own, I have heretoaifixed my signature.

CHARLES ROBERT HUGHES.

